Yashica's cult Electro 35 GSN — fixed-lens 35mm rangefinder, f/1.7 lens, electronic shutter, 1973.
The Yashica Electro 35 GSN, introduced in 1973, was a later chrome-finished model in the Electro 35 line of fixed-lens 35mm rangefinders, with the black-bodied GTN as its counterpart. It has become a cult favourite among users of affordable rangefinders, valued for its fast lens and electronic automatic exposure, and it is one of the best-known members of the family.
This is a 35mm coupled-rangefinder camera with a fixed 45mm f/1.7 Color-Yashinon lens and an electronically-timed leaf shutter. Exposure is aperture-priority automatic: the user selects the aperture and the meter picks a stepless shutter speed, with over- and under-exposure warning lamps in the finder and a hot shoe for flash. The electronic shutter requires a battery to time correctly; the original was a mercury cell.
The GSN is popular for low-light and street photography because the fast lens and quiet leaf shutter allow hand-held shooting in dim conditions. It is simple to use for travel and everyday photography, with a bright rangefinder for accurate focus, while remaining a heavy camera limited to automatic exposure.
Before buying, check for the pad-of-death (POD), the perished rubber pad that disrupts Electro shutter timing and film advance, since this is the most common fault. Test the meter, exposure lamps and battery check, examine the lens for haze and fungus, and verify rangefinder patch contrast and alignment. Light seals usually need replacing and the obsolete mercury battery requires a modern adapted cell.